Editor’s note: Khadijah Williams is the National Director of Policy and Advocacy for LIFT, a nonprofit that provides immediate relief for families in poverty while creating the systemic conditions for their long-term success. She is the 2023-24 Chair of Strategic Planning and board member for the National Homelessness Law Center and an advisor for the Housing Narrative Lab. In January 2024, she was appointed to serve on the D.C. Commission on Poverty by the Mayor and confirmed by Council to help put forth a plan to reduce poverty and center family voice.

This piece was written in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent ruling in City of Grants Pass, Oregon v. Johnson, which allowed local jurisdictions to issue fines and jail sentences to unhoused people ticketed or convicted of sleeping in public places.

I loved the library as a child. It was the one place I could escape to because many shelters closed to residents during the day time, even for families. The library was my safe place, especially in the summer, when schools were also closed.

But sometimes, the libraries were closed. I could count on most libraries being closed on Sundays. Even when they were open, as a child, sometimes I wanted to play outside. Whenever I wanted to play outside, my mom would pile every single one of our earthly belongings into a shopping cart, and we would go to the park. We were always clean, but with our piles of bags, it was obvious we were homeless. Sometimes it was okay. Sometimes, police would come up to us, asking us what was up. Sometimes we were asked to move along. Sometimes we were fined.

We literally had no where else to go, and we were so lucky because at least we were sheltered homeless. Thankfully, we had more sheltered nights than outdoor nights. Even still, even in our relative privilege, we were still fined.

Even as I experienced immense trauma as a homeless child, I was still so lucky, and yet still so impacted by laws and practices that the recent Grants Pass ruling says aren’t cruel and unusual punishment. If you told me this ruling as a child, I promise you I would have broken down into uncontrollable sobs. Because being told we were breaking the law for simply existing, when my mom and my sister and I literally had no where else to go, certainly felt cruel and unusual.

I’m thankful for the work of the National Homelessness Law Center, the Housing Narrative Lab, and many, many other amazing organizations for their advocacy and their continued fight to ensure the homeless have rights, dignity, and finally, supportive, safe, and permanent housing. Little Khadijah would be so grateful to know there are so many organizations fighting for the rights of people like my family. Though this ruling is a gut punch, I remain optimistic that we have the right people in the fight to make things right for our most vulnerable community members.